Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway
Encyclopedia
The Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway (A&BR) was an English railway located in Buckinghamshire
, England operating between Aylesbury
and Verney Junction
.
and Verney Junction
and serving intermediate stations at Waddesdon Manor (renamed Waddesdon on 1 October 1920), Quainton Road
, Grandborough (renamed Granborough Road
on 6 October 1920), and Winslow Road
. The A&BR was never extended to Buckingham.
In the late 1880s the Metropolitan Railway
planned to extend its projected Aylesbury line northwards to , to make a junction with the East and West Junction Railway. Instead, the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway Company was absorbed by the Metropolitan Railway on 1 July 1891 and it thus formed the northward progress of the Metropolitan Railway.
The section of line from Morton Pinkney to just north of Quainton Road railway station was built later as part of the London Extension of the Great Central Railway
, joining the, by then, Metropolitan Railway tracks into London, and forming the Great Central Main Line
which opened for passenger traffic on 15 March 1899.
In April 1906 the Metropolitan Railway section from Harrow-on-the-Hill station
to Verney Junction was leased to a Joint Committee of the Metropolitan Railway and Great Central Main Line: it was worked on a five-yearly basis alternately by the joint lessees.
Passenger services on the line were withdrawn between Quainton Road and Verney Junction from 6 July 1936, and the intermediate stations of Granborough Road and Winslow Road closed. The last through service, a parcels train from Verney Junction, was on 6 September 1947.
was reinstated for regular passenger use. There are plans to continue the reinstatement north of Aylesbury Vale as part of new the East West Rail Consortium
route around London. However the route would use only the section just to the north of Quainton Road, continuing via the Great Central route and the Calvert curve towards . There are no firm plans for stations between Aylesbury Vale and nor a reinstated station at Verney Junction.
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England operating between Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
and Verney Junction
Verney Junction railway station
Verney Junction was a railway station at a junction serving four directions between 1868 and 1968 and from where excursions as far as Ramsgate could be booked...
.
History
The Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway Company was incorporated on 6 August 1860, and the line opened on 23 September 1868 connecting connected AylesburyAylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
and Verney Junction
Verney Junction railway station
Verney Junction was a railway station at a junction serving four directions between 1868 and 1968 and from where excursions as far as Ramsgate could be booked...
and serving intermediate stations at Waddesdon Manor (renamed Waddesdon on 1 October 1920), Quainton Road
Quainton Road railway station
Quainton Road railway station was opened in 1868 in undeveloped countryside near Quainton, Buckinghamshire, from London. Built by the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway, it was the result of pressure from the 3rd Duke of Buckingham to route the railway near his home at Wotton House and to open a...
, Grandborough (renamed Granborough Road
Granborough Road railway station
Granborough Road railway station was a station serving the village of Granborough, to the north of Quainton in Buckinghamshire, England.-History:The station was first served in 1868 and closed in 1936....
on 6 October 1920), and Winslow Road
Winslow Road railway station
Winslow Road railway station was a station serving the village of East Claydon , to the north of Quainton in Buckinghamshire, England...
. The A&BR was never extended to Buckingham.
In the late 1880s the Metropolitan Railway
Metropolitan railway
Metropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
planned to extend its projected Aylesbury line northwards to , to make a junction with the East and West Junction Railway. Instead, the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway Company was absorbed by the Metropolitan Railway on 1 July 1891 and it thus formed the northward progress of the Metropolitan Railway.
The section of line from Morton Pinkney to just north of Quainton Road railway station was built later as part of the London Extension of the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
, joining the, by then, Metropolitan Railway tracks into London, and forming the Great Central Main Line
Great Central Main Line
The Great Central Main Line , also known as the London Extension of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway , is a former railway line which opened in 1899 linking Sheffield with Marylebone Station in London via Nottingham and Leicester.The GCML was the last main line railway built in...
which opened for passenger traffic on 15 March 1899.
In April 1906 the Metropolitan Railway section from Harrow-on-the-Hill station
Harrow-on-the-Hill station
Harrow-on-the-Hill station is a London Underground station served by National Rail and London Underground trains. It is located between College Road and Lowlands Road in the Greenhill area of Harrow, about half a mile north of the locality from which it takes its name.-Railway geography:The...
to Verney Junction was leased to a Joint Committee of the Metropolitan Railway and Great Central Main Line: it was worked on a five-yearly basis alternately by the joint lessees.
Passenger services on the line were withdrawn between Quainton Road and Verney Junction from 6 July 1936, and the intermediate stations of Granborough Road and Winslow Road closed. The last through service, a parcels train from Verney Junction, was on 6 September 1947.
Current and future developments
In December 2008 a section of track between Aylesbury and the newly-opened Aylesbury Vale Parkway stationAylesbury Vale Parkway railway station
Aylesbury Vale Parkway railway station is a railway station serving villages to the northwest of Aylesbury. It will also serve the Berryfields and Weedon Hill housing developments to the north of the town when these are completed. The station is served by Chiltern Railways and opened on 14 December...
was reinstated for regular passenger use. There are plans to continue the reinstatement north of Aylesbury Vale as part of new the East West Rail Consortium
East West Rail Consortium
East West Rail Link is a proposed new rail route in England to provide a fast outer orbital railway to the north of London, linking the Great Western Main Line, Oxford, Bicester, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich for both passenger and freight traffic...
route around London. However the route would use only the section just to the north of Quainton Road, continuing via the Great Central route and the Calvert curve towards . There are no firm plans for stations between Aylesbury Vale and nor a reinstated station at Verney Junction.
See also
- Great Central RailwayGreat Central RailwayThe Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
, The "London Extension" - Metropolitan RailwayMetropolitan railwayMetropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
- Buckinghamshire RailwayBuckinghamshire RailwayThe Buckinghamshire Railway was a railway company in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England that constructed railway lines connecting Bletchley, Banbury and Oxford...